On Friday, President Donald Trump tweeted that he was reviewing the decision with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and he retweeted prominent figures who expressed support for leaving the 2014 rules in place. | Karel Prinsloo, File/AP Photo

Trump says decision on elephant hunting trophies to come this week

President Donald Trump said Sunday a final decision would come this week on whether to maintain a ban on importing elephant hunting trophies from two African countries, indicating he was leaning toward keeping the Obama-era rules in place.

"Big-game trophy decision will be announced next week but will be very hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal," Trump wrote on Twitter Sunday night.

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The Fish and Wildlife Service, part of Trump's administration, announced on Thursday it would reverse a 2014 rule that banned imports of hunted elephant trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The reversal sparked fierce resistance online from a coalition of celebrities and even supporters of the president. On Friday, Trump tweeted that he was reviewing the decision with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and he retweeted prominent figures who expressed support for leaving the 2014 rules in place.

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